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The Hope Concert was held in Dec 2007, a concert attended by GLBT folks, the largest ever of 700 to 900 attended by a Government Minister for the purpose of supporting AIDS initiatives. It was a year and a half before the first Pink Dot.

It is interesting after 8 years how the recollection of many seemed to have changed, of how they supported the Hope Concert. But the reality was that, it was a miracle, and we were lectured by many Gay and straight Christian leaders that it would be a waste of money and resources. Being the Charismatic Christian, all I said was that I felt it was from God.

Hope Concert was tough because it was on a shoe string budget with the singers unknown in Singapore and even in the US. It was a very hard sell, both to the GLBT public, and to the various agencies.

Miracles after miracles happened. I begin to see how God used each of our strengths. Doors were opened and agencies were welcoming despite a very anti-gay environment in 2007 fanned by NMP Thio.

I cried when we received a letter from one Government association stating that they couldn’t waive the exorbitant rehersal hall booking fees but instead granted us a donation. God opened the hardened hearts of Kings to give us grace.

God was good and when Jason and Demarco departed at the airport, they somehow got the business class ticket for their onward journey to Bangkok, that we couldn’t afford.

God used a group of people to come up with the ideas and planning because we were little children and had a simplicity and a faith not knowing what we were getting ourselves into. We only believe. We weren’t experience in holding concerts but we believe.

It is difficult to be used by God when we are too professional, too perfect, too skilled. It is often our faith and availability that matters. We go to church to learn about knowledge and truth about God as revealed from the bible. It is not about our humanistic knowledge nor striving to save ourselves through good works. Often, we are too religious, working to be more holy or to be move loving rather than right believing.

It is not about not staying within our comfort zone, but running with the vision and dream God has imparted in our hearts.

Nine years is a long time. Things have happened. I am not sure, I could dream again and be like the little boy with the two fishes and five loaves of bread.

Three months earlier in Aug 2007 at the First MCC “Gay church” Service in Kuala Lumpur, my friends were very smart. They asked me to do the bible reading from Isaiah. I didn’t know why until I went to the pulpit and then I saw all the media was there with their big video cameras.

The problem with us GLBT Christians is that we are too good, too perfect, too intellectual when all that is asked is not about service but faith and simplicity. It is God working, not us working and this is Grace.

Unlike my many friends, I am weak and poor and that is why I need Jesus. Many are far stronger and more capable than me. I yearn to sit at Jesus’ feet like David worshiping God out in the fields and looking into heavens whilst taking care of the sheep.

At the end, when Jesus comes back, of 1 Cor 13:13, only one remain out of our faith in Jesus death and resurrection, and our Hope for the return of Jesus. When Jesus comes back, there is no need for faith and Hope.

When our faith fails us, when we have lost Hope, it Jesus’ love that will hold on to us even when we fail.

When we loose Hope, when we have failed, Jesus doesn’t see our failure but only stepping stones to extend the Kingdom of God. It is after all, our relationship with Jesus that matters.

If something is from God, we may not have all the answers or the end of the story, but this is what faith is about. Hope Concert 2007 was ultimately a day that the Lord has made and we to rejoice, and that no one could boast about. We have faith and Hope because of the Love of God imparted in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

This is the day
This is the day
That the Lord Hath made
We will rejoice
We wil rejoice
And be glad in it.